Toy device for composing figure pictures



March 3, 1964 L. LA REAUX, JR 3,122,859

TOY DEVICE FOR COMPQSING FIGURE PICTURES Filed Sept. 11, 1961 United States Patent 3 122,859 TGY DEVHJE F ill! CGIQHQSENG FIGURE PHCTURLES Leon La Reaux, In, 1361 W. Addison St., Chicago 13, llll. Filed Sept. '11, 1961, Ser. No. 137,184 12 Ellairns. (Cl. 46-37) This invention relates generally to toys and more particularly relates to a novel toy structure for selectively composing and viewing a large variety of figure pictures.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described comprising, a generally cylindrical housing having means at one end thereof for selectively composing the figure pictures and a viewing orifice at its opposite end for use during composition and after completion of the various figure pictures, said means comprising a plurality of telescopically assembled tubes or cylinders independently rotatable relative one another for composing said pictures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which is convenient and easy to operate while holding same up to a source of illumination and looking into the same through said viewing orifice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which is economical to manufacture, which is versatile in the number of different picture portrayals that can be composed therewith so as to maintain and challenge the interest of the child user, which is compact and easy to use and which is sturdy and durable.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character described which has educational advantages directed toward enabling the child user to learn the relationship of many elements of a figure portrayal by being able easily and selectively to vary one of the said elements to change the composition at will and to accomplish same while viewing the said portrayal. The invention further contemplates the use of this toy in conjunction with drawing and/ or copying exercises whereby a picture may be viewed by holding the toy to the light source with one hand and substantially simultaneously, the child may draw what is seen with the free hand.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description thereof in which a preferred embodiment has been described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is contemplated that minor variations in the size, arrangement, proportions and construction of the several parts thereof may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the picture composing toy embodying the invention.

MG. 2 is a medial sectional view taken through said toy.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through the View toy along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and in the direction indicated generally.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the individual cylinders used for composing pictures in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the picture-composing toy embodying the invention is designated generally by reference character 1d. Said toy it) is comprised of individual tubular sections telescopically connected together to form a generally cylindrical housing 12 having opposite ends 114 and 16 respectively. The end M of wider diameter will be referred to hereinafter as the objective end. The pictures to be composed by the toy are composed at said objective end by selective manipulation of said tubular sections. The opposite end 16 has Z a viewing orifice therein through which the objective end 14 is visible for enabling composing the various pictures and for viewing the completed pictures.

Commencing from the objective end 14, the tubular sections forming the housing 12 are designated respectively 20, 22, 2d and 26. Each of said tube sections forming the housing 12 is formed of substantially opaque material such as plastic, fiberboard or other suitable material. Tube section 20 comprises the tube section of widest diameter and shortest length. Section 2t; has an end wall 3i and is open at its other end. The end Wall St has a segment 32 cut out therefrom in the configuration of a wedge. The open segment 37. may be covered by a light transmitting member 34 carrying indicia 3d thereon representing herein the base outline of a figure having certain elements thereof absent. In this manner the base outline formed by indicia 36 is framed within said light transmitting segment 32.

The tubular section 22 is chosen of a length approximately twice that of section 2i) and of a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said tube section Ell. Likewise, tube section 24 is chosen of a length approximately three times that of tube section 2(9 and of a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of tube section 22.. Tube section 26 is chosen to be of a length sub stantially longer than any of the other tube sections and is of a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the tube section 24.

Each of the tube sections 2 22 and 24 is open at one end thereof and has end walls, respectively, at 3d, 42 and 44. The tube section 26 is closed off at both ends, one end thereof constituting the said opposite end 16 of the housing 12. Said end in has a central opening 17 therein which constitutes a viewing opening or eyepiece. The other end of said tube section 26 is closed off by end Wall 56.

The end wall 42 of section 22 is formed as a thin disc of light transmitting material mounted across the end of section 22. End wall '42 has indicia 52 disposed thereon and arran ed in a circular pattern having the center thereof at the longitudinal axis of the tube section 22. Said indicia d2 represents herein a series of differing hats and hair configurations, one of the missing elements absent from the outline formed by indicia 3d. The distance between the said indicia 52. and the periphery of said end wall 62 is chosen so that when said well 42 is superimposed upon wall 3d the said indicia 52 is in registry with the proper location thereof relative the indicia 35. In this manner any one of the different hair and hat elements may be selected from indicia 52 and placed super imposed on the figure outline to fill one of the blank areas of the figure outline. To select same, the child rotates the section 22, thereby rotating end wall 32.

End wall 44; of the tube section 24 is formed similar to end Wall 42 with indicia 54 disposed thereon and ar ranged in a circular pattern. The circular pattern formed by indicia 54 has its center identical with that of the indicia 52. The distance between s id indicia 54 and the periphery of the wall 44 is chosen so that the indicia 54, which represent herein mouths and moustaches of differing attitudes, will coincide with their proper position with relation to the figure outline represented by indicia 36 when the end Walls are superimposed one relative the other. Thus another element absent from the outline may be added to the picture composition.

Likewise, the end wall 46 of the tube section 26 is formed as a similar disc to those constituting end walls 42 and 44. End wall 4-6 has indicia 56 disposed thereon which represent in this instance sets of eye patterns arranged in a circular pattern, the location thereof being chosen whereby when superimposed upon the other end walls 30, 42 and 44, the last remaining element may be selected for completion of the desired picture composition. Because circular arrangements of indicia are substantially concentric, any individual one of the patterns carried on each end wall may be selectively chosen to complete the picture composition merely by rotation of the end wall carrying same.

Bearing means are provided in the form of annular rib portions 60 formed in spaced pairs on the walls of said tubular sections and disposed in the space between each adjacent telescopically assembled tube section. In the embodiment described herein, said bearing means comprise ribs dti provided respectively on the exterior of the annular walls of tube sections 22, 24 and 26 and disposed so as to be engaged by the inner walls of sections 29, 22 and 24 respectively. The said ribs are spaced apart so as to be engaged closely adjacent the end portions of said interior annular walls and retain the concentric arrangement of the tubular sections along their respective lengths.

The sections 20, 22, 24 and 2d are telescopically assembled one within the other in order of decreasing diameter and increasing length. The said sections are so arranged whereby their respective end walls 34 42, 44 and 46 are superimposed one on the other in closely adjacent relationship.

Annular ring members 72, 74 and 76 may be secured by pasting or any other suitable manner to the edge portions of the open end of said sections 20, 22 and 2 subsequent to the telescopic assembly of said sections. Each ring engages an annular bearing member so as to act as stop means and prevent the tubular sections from being separated axially.

A lens holder 78 with a magnifying lens 80 disposed therein may be disposed within the innermost section 26, and located at a predetermined distance from the ends thereof. The lens St) is arranged in a parallel position relative the end Walls 30, 42, 44 and 46. The image formed by superimposing on the base outline the respective indicia carried on said end walls, is magnified when viewed through the opening 17 of end 16 of the housing.

By selectively rotating any one or more of the tubular sections independently of any of the other sections, the various attitudes of each individual picture element may be selectively imposed in the picture composition, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the child may form the figure 66 shown in FIG. 3 and perhaps use another of the eye patterns provided on end wall 46. This would be done by manipulating rotatively tube section 26 while keeping the other sections immobile.

It is to be understood that the base outline 36 carried on member 34 may be formed of nidicia arranged in a circular pattern along the periphery of said member 34 and rotary relative said window 32 whereby the attitude thereof may be selectively changed.

The cylindrical tubular members may be provided on their exterior surfaces with detent means so that adjacent members may cooperate frictionally to engage in the various positions to form the desired composite pictures. Likewise the notches or other detent elements may be numbered so that any particular combination which it is desired to reproduce, can be thereafter designated by a combination of numbers.

As an example, in FIG. 1, the tubular member 20 is shown with a spring arm 82 adapted to fall into any one of the numbered notches on the tubular member 22. Similar detent arrangements may be provided on the other cooperating tubular member.

It will be seen from the foregoing disclosure that the toy picture composing and viewing-device is formed of few parts assembled in a comp a et arrangement and capable of being manufactured and assembled simply and economically. The educational aspects ofthe device are manifest in the selective interchangeability of any of the composite elements of the picture composition so that the child may easily be taught the various interrelationships of the parts to the whole. Because of the great variety of possible picture combinatoins, the childs interest is grasped and maintained, while the compactness of the structure assures a substantial long useful life for said It should be understood that certain individual elements such as the abovedescribed bearing means, or the said detent means may be replaced by means equivalent thereto without departing from the concept and scope of the invention. Likewise, many variations in size, arrangement, relationship of parts and the like minor details may be made without departing from the concept of the invention.

It is believed that the invention has been described in sufiicient detail to enable same to be understood and practiced. The language pointing out the invention in the appended claims is meant to be construed broadly, commensurate with the contribution of the invention to the art concerned.

I claim:

1. A picture composing and viewing toy comprislng, an elongate substantially cylindrical housing having a viewing orifice at one end thereof, and a window for admitting light from the opposite end of the housing, said housing comprising a plurality of tubular members each of different diameter telescopically assembled together, said members being independently rotatable one relative to the other, each member having a transverse end wall, said end walls being in juxtaposition, one of said end walls being opaque and having the window formed therein and each of the other end walls being light transmitting and each having indicia thereon, said indicia representing elements of the picture to be composed, one of said tubular members having an opaque closing wall opposite the transverse end wall thereof, said viewing orifice being provided in said closing wall, said tubular members adapted to be selectively rotated for moving the indicia into superimposed relationship for composing a picture visible in said window through said orifice.

2. A toy as described in claim 1 in which each of the said other end walls comprise disc members and certain of said indicia are arranged in substantially concentric circular formations thereon, said circular formations being substantially coaxial with the axisof the housing with the diameters thereof respectively dimensioned to place the pictorial elements thereof in proper spatial relationship one relative to the other in the picture to be composed.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said window has a picture element disposed thereon.

4-. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which lens means are disposed within said housing.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which .said tubular members are frictionally secured one to the other.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which stop means are provided to prevent axial separation of said tubular members.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which hearing means are provided between adjacent annular walls of said tubular members whereby each is independently rotatable relative one the other, said means comprising annular protrusions disposed between said adjacent walls, and stop means are provided cooperative with said hearing means to prevent disassembly of said tubular members.

8. A picture composing toy comprising a plurality of telescopically arranged tubular members each of di erent diameter and mounted for independent rotation, one of said members comprising an end member and having a light transmitting portion, said portion having disposed therein at least one picture composition having a plurality of elements thereof absent therefrom, each of the other tubular members having a transverse Wall and transparent picture elements circumferentially disposed on each of said walls, each one of said walls carrying respectively a different one of said absent picture elements, said transverse 'walls being arranged coaxially in juxtaposition albeit to permit completion of said picture composition by selective rotation of said tubular members to align one of each of said picture elements with said picture composition.

9. The structure as claimed in claim 6 in which detent means are provided on adjacent tubular members cooperative to index proper alignment of the picture elements of said adjacent tubular members.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 6 in which lens means are provided within one of said tubular members.

11. A telescopic toy comprising a plurality of telescopi cally arranged tubular members of difi erent diameter mounted for independent rotation, one of said members comprising an end member having an opaque face but provided with a light-transmitting window, each of the other tubular members having a transverse wall of lighttransmitting material and picture elements circumferentially disposed on said walls, said end member and said transverse walls being coaxially arranged in justaposition, whereby to enable selective rotative manipulation of any one of said tubular members on a common axis to align a selected one of the elements of each transverse wall with the window to compose a picture therefrom.

12. A viewing toy for composing pictures comprising a plurality of cylindrical members of difierent diameter telescopically arranged for frictional independent rotative movement on a common axis, a plurality of disc elements of light transmitting material adapted to be superimposed and disposed one respectively within each of said cylindrical members to form the end Walls thereof, the disc elements being coaxially arranged in juxtaposition, one of said cylindrical members having an opaque portion on the outer surface of its end wall and said portion having a light admitting segment therein, each of said disc elements provided with indicia respectively forming one of a plurality of element of a picture composition and each element arranged spaced from the periphery of said respective disc elements to permit selective alignment thereof to complete said picture composition by manual rotative manipulation of any selected cylindrical member, one of said cylindrical members being closed off at the end opposite that of the said light admitting segment and having a viewing port provided in said closed off end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Papke Oct. 11, 1949 Knott Dec. 27, 1955 

11. A TELESCOPIC TOY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED TUBULAR MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETER MOUNTED FOR INDEPENDENT ROTATION, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING AN END MEMBER HAVING AN OPAQUE FACE BUT PROVIDED WITH A LIGHT-TRANSMITTING WINDOW, EACH OF THE OTHER TUBULAR MEMBERS HAVING A TRANSVERSE WALL OF LIGHTTRANSMITTING MATERIAL AND PICTURE ELEMENTS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPOSED ON SAID WALLS, SAID END MEMBER AND SAID TRANSVERSE WALLS BEING COAXIALLY ARRANGED IN JUSTAPOSITION, WHEREBY TO ENABLE SELECTIVE ROTATIVE MANIPULATION OF ANY ONE OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS ON A COMMON AXIS TO ALIGN A SELECTED ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF EACH TRANSVERSE WALL WITH THE WINDOW TO COMPOSE A PICTURE THEREFROM. 